The Sprint Cup (4.15, Haydock) kickstarts what is a wonderful time of year for flat racing fans with a glut of Group 1’s to come over the next two months. In what is a strong renewal at face value, it says a great deal about the brilliant Harry Angel that he is 5/4, and if at his best then it will take an awful lot to stop last year’s runaway winner.

However, that is no price for a horse who injured himself badly at Royal Ascot, and whilst updates have been positive it has to be likely that he improves a great deal for the return. That makes for a tempting betting race with three places and 10/1 bar the favourite, leading one to The Tin Man. One of the most consistent sprinters in the country, James Fanshawe’s six year old was third in this last year and has been at least as good this season.

His win in a classy Listed race at Windsor was followed by an unlucky fourth in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, and then he was first home from a low draw in a red hot renewal of the Maurice de Gheest. He was the only horse from a single figure draw to get involved – 13 beat 16, 3 (The Tin Man), 17, 11 and 19 whilst he was also the first home from the rear.

James Garfield was ahead of him then and is entitled to huge respect, but he has no form on soft ground whilst The Tin Man was third last year on a soft surface and he is a strong each/way bet at 10s with Paddy Power or 8s elsewhere.

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There’s no easy way to make a million pounds, but there certainly are plenty of hard ways. One of them is the Jockey Club’s Million Pound Bonus, which starts on Saturday with the Betfair Chase (3.00) Haydock, one of three legs of the series, the other two being the King George and then the Gold Cup itself. This year’s renewal is one that has many questions to be answered and there are plenty of tips flying around. For the best Horse racing tips be sure to check out myracing.com.

If Cue Card is in the same form as he was when he took this on the bridle last year, having moved through the race effortlessly before walking away from Silviniaco Conti, then he is likely to take the beating once again. He was strongest at the end of the King George when he caught Vautour at the end of three miles at Kempton, and based on how impressive he was at Aintree, he may well have won the Gold Cup had he stood up when falling at the third last. He made his return recently in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby, when he was beaten into third by Menorah and Irish Cavalier. That day he appeared to do a lot early in the race, having travelled perhaps too strongly for his own good, before running out of puff late. He should improve, but so should Menorah, second there, and it remains to be seen if his team had a lot in the tank; He certainly took great steps forward from his first run last year. It may well be that Paddy Brennan sits more quietly today.

Coneygree has not been seen since romping home against non-existent opposition in the Future Stars novice chase, his first and only run since a remarkable novice year in which he ran the field ragged in the Gold Cup. He missed all of last season thanks to a hock injury, but it’s worth noting that the decision for him to be kept off the track was as much down to choice as circumstance and media reports are overwhelmingly positive and have been for a long time. The form of that Gold Cup success has been well represented through Djakadam, runner up for the second year in March, and on Saturday he gets a chance to make the running in ground he should revel in, which spells trouble for the rest of the field. If he makes a successful comeback today, then it will be all systems go for the Gold Cup again, for which he is 10/1 with Bet365, SkyBet and Boylesports. That could be a handy each/way bet especially if he runs as well.

Seeyouatmidnight is shortest of the second season chasers, and with good reason. Sandy Thompson’s eight year old fluffed his lines in the RSA but he redeemed himself with a fine third in the Scottish National to end his season. He then returned in a much hyped clash with Bristol De Mai that was quickly turned into a procession when the two got racing as he beat the Grade 1 winner who trailed in his wake. That was a match, but he is just as comfortable in bigger fields and he ought to be far happier on this softer ground today stepped up in trip – he beat RSA winner Blaklion in the Dipper on near bottomless ground in January – and if he steps forward from that then he could trouble the top two if they are not at their best.

Irish Cavalier fulfilled all his potential to take victory on his reappearance for a resurgent Rebecca Curtis, who is making hay this season after a disappointing campaign last year. He has to be respected here, having posted a career best, but he came on from his season opener at Chepstow and is now 4lbs worse off with the first and second, so this could be tougher. We saw the best of Silvinaco Conti only once last season, when he ran away with the Ascot Chase in February after a campaign that had not lived up to previous seasons. Before then he’d been swatted aside in last year’s running of this ano whilst he ought to strip much fitter for his return at Down Royal, he must better last year’s effort and significantly so to take the honours.

Tom George’s God’s Own, a winner of the Melling Chase and the Champion Chase at Punchestown, does not appear to be crying out for three miles and is more likely to run at Ascot on the same afternoon if the ground is decent there. Roi Des Francs, will love the surface if he runs but he has much to find after disappointing in his two Grade 1 runs at the big festivals last year for his new yard.

A multiple graded winner over fences, Vezelay was also third behind multiple Grade One winner Milord Thomas in the Prix la Haye Jousselin last November, but he was only seventh in the Grand Steeple-Chase Du Paris and he will have to be much better to get involved here.

A bonus from Will with a full preview of Saturday 3 September with analysis and the best horse racing tips for Haydock, Ascot and Kempton. JP

They say that it’s a good idea to save for a rainy day and connections of Limato will have anything like that in mind as their charge attempts to stamp his class across the 6 furlong sprinting division once again in the Haydock Sprint Cup (4.30). A hugely impressive winner of the July Cup when dropped down to 6 furlongs, only the crack 5 furlong specialist Mecca’s Angel could get the better of him in the Nunthorpe (and he himself was clear of a strong field). He is clearly the best horse in the field, but at 2/1 we can look elsewhere with three places given the potential for serious rainfall (upto 12mm) and also the fact that there are some worries about a relatively quick turnaround.

Quiet Reflection couldn’t hold a candle to Limato in the July Cup but that was her first defeat since her juvenile days and it came on some of the quickest ground she’s raced on. That was Limato’s home court but if there’s anything like the give in the ground that can be expected at Haydock then Karl Burke’s filly will be racing on a far more even playing field and she’s worth a small wager to reverse the form.

Magical Memory did too much work to try to get into the heat of the action at Ascot and is feared after not getting the perfect run when seventh in the July Cup. If things fall more right for him here then he ought to be right in the thick of things. The Tin Man disappointed in the Diamond Jubilee but either side of that he has been an impressive winner of his two starts this season, having more in hand than a neck when he won the Hackwood at Newbury last time out. He ought to go well too, and looks improved from when he was fourth in the Champions Day Sprint.

Suedois was second to Limato in the July Cup, his best effort since moving to the yard of David O’Meara. A close fifth in the Diamond Jubilee, before that he was second to Magical Memory at York and then fourth in the Maurice De Gheest at Deauville. Rain would be particularly idea for him and he looks an each/way player. Dounjan Triumphant, second in the Maurice De Gheest, is another in the each/way player camp whilst Strath Burn, and unlucky second in this last year, has lost his way. The repaid improver is Dancing Star, who won a strong renewal of the Sprint Cup in the style of a group winner. This is a major upping in class but she must be respected.

In the 32Red Casino Handicap (3.30, also known as the Old Borough Cup), York form appears to hold the upper hand here. That Magic Circle’s connection decided to miss the Ebor to wait for this is a sign of confidence and intent and he ought to take the beating here but if over his Ebor second then Shrewd has to take a big amount of beating. He had no answer to Heartbreak City but he thundered home to be a convincing second in a strong renewal and whilst he has gone up in the weights, there’s another claimer on board in the shape of Donagh O’Conor to take the burden and he ought to go nicely.

Shakopee, only just beaten by Barsanti at the Ebor meeting, can go well too, having moved through the field in the style of the winner before being outbattled. He should stay this trip and likes conventional courses, having flopped at Goodwood. Of the Koukash pairing, Sueigoo, in handicap company with George Chaloner aboard, is of interest.

The Superior Mile (3.00) is a trappy race but without a penalty maybe it’s time for Custom Cut to start winning again without the penalty on his back and his third at York was a solid effort which might just be the best form here. Convey backs up from having run just a week ago but is most likely the one to beat whilst Mitchum Swagger is still improving. A lot of rain is very good news for Breton Rock, who goes well with cut in the ground, although he has a penalty to shoulder.

With nothing appealing in the Be Friendly Handicap (4.00) Kempton, it’s hardly the time of year for an Arab Spring but the horse of the same name has a big chance of taking the September Stakes (3.45). He was outclassed in the Juddmonte but returns to a distance that suits him more and on the form of his third in the Rose of Lancaster Stakes, which the winner and second have boosted since, there’s a lot to recommend him. Sky Hunter Is coming back from a break but has the form to go very close, and Robin of Navan is of interest if over a poor run in the Prix Du Jockey Club is overcome.

If the extremely consistent juvenile The Last Lion shows up with his best form then he ought to take the Sirenia Stakes (3.15) unless there’s something special lurking in the ranks, which looks unlikely unless Unabated finds his best form and Koproick turns out to be as good as his maiden looks. He lost out to two of the crack sprinting juveniles in the shape of Blue Point and Mokarris at York and a repeat of that will make him very tough to beat.

Over at Ascot, there are two valuable handicaps which make Channel 5’s coverage. In the Albert Bartlett Handicap (2.40) Von Bulcher appears a worthy favourite, as John Gosden’s colt is still a progressive one despite defeat at Newbury in a race where many are exposed already. York winner Firmament should benefit from a drop in trip but perhaps of more interest would be Squats, second in the International handicap on King George Day who appeared to back up too quickly next time out before then finishing fourth of five at Newmarket. A big field and strong pace should help his chances with Ryan Moore aboard; Best of the biggest prices could be a back to form Heaven’s Guest.

In the Appetiser Handicap, Dal Harraid will have his backers after taking a valuable contest at Goodwood but the form of that race has not worked out as well as could be hoped and he’s gone up again. Stargazer steps up to this trip for the first time having looked as if more distance was what he wanted at Goodwood when third in a good race that has worked out very well since. This far more conventional course ought to suit him better and Sir Michael Stoute’s fine summer can continue.

Top Horseracing Tips

1 pt win Quiet Reflection, 4.30 Haydock (5/1 general)

1 pt each/way Suedois, 4.30 Haydock (14/1 general)

1 pt each/way Shrewd, 3.30 Haydock (13/2 Hills)

1 pt win Custom Cut, 3.00 Haydock (6/1 general)

2 pts win Arab Spring, 3.45 Kempton (13/8 general)

3 pts win The Last Lion, 3.15 Kempton (7/4 general)

1 pt win Stargazer, 3.10 Ascot (9/2 general)

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